We need an international arms trade treaty NOW

Responsible gun owners don’t want weapons to end up in the hands of criminals. Responsible nations shouldn’t either.

The irresponsible arms trade fuels serious human rights abuses, armed violence, poverty, and conflict around the world. In many areas of the world, armed conflict and poverty go hand-in-hand. For people working to lift themselves out of poverty and living in communities plagued by armed violence, the poor regulation of conventional weapons threatens both lives and livelihoods.

From March 18 to 28, world leaders and their negotiating teams will gather at the United Nations to hammer out an international Arms Trade Treaty. The proposed treaty would restrict arms sales to war criminals and human rights abusers, while at the same time not infringe the Second Amendment rights of US citizens.

A bulletproof Arms Trade Treaty – and the safety it can bring to families around the world – is a vital part of the fight against poverty and injustice. With it, we can help save lives, prevent human rights abuses, and protect the livelihoods of people around the world.

President Obama needs to hear that you support a robust Arms Trade Treaty – speak up today.

Act now: Ask the President to support a strong Arms Trade Treaty that will save lives and make the world a safer place.

Letter to

President of the United States

After failing to reach an agreement in July 2012 on the Arms Trade Treaty, governments will gather once again at the UN in New York later this month to hammer out a treaty governing the global trade in conventional weapons. I encourage you to direct your representatives to support a strong Arms Trade Treaty that would effectively restrict arms transfers to war criminals and terrorists and cover all conventional weapons and ammunition.

The irresponsible and poorly regulated arms trade fuels serious human rights abuses, armed violence, poverty and conflict around the world. Millions of people are being killed, injured, raped, repressed and forced to flee their homes every year. Health, education and other services are being denied and livelihoods destroyed. The world needs a strong Arms Trade Treaty that will prevent arms transfers if they are likely to contribute directly to serious human rights abuses, war crimes or poverty.

Please ensure that US negotiators work with other governments in support of a Treaty that sets clear humanitarian standards with a strong arms transfer criteria linked to protection of human rights, international humanitarian law, and sustainable development.

Mr. President, your administration has made the prevention of atrocities a key focus of its foreign policy. A strong Arms Trade Treaty will do more than any other single global measure to prevent atrocities by making it clearly illegal for countries to facilitate the commission of atrocities through the arms trade. I encourage you to direct your representatives to fight for a strong treaty that will build upon your legacy to prevent atrocities and saves lives.